American soldier got 24 years for killing Afghans

Military court has sentenced an American soldier who participated in the killing of three civilians in Afghanistan. Jeremy Morlock was sentenced to 24 years in prison.

During the process of passing on a military base Lewis McCord in Washington, a 22-year-old soldier has pleaded guilty to murder, conspiracy to murder and illegal use of drugs.

The judge, Lieutenant Colonel Kwasi Hawks presiding over the case, accepted Mr Morlock’s plea deal with prosecutors at the end of a day-long proceeding at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, and handed him a 24-year prison term.

The judge also ruled that Mr Morlock’s incarceration would be reduced by nearly a year for time already served. He will be eligible for parole in about seven years.

Mr Morlock, who will be dishonorably discharged from the army, stood facing the judge and showed no emotion as he was sentenced.

Morlock’s verdict was the first in the murder of three Afghans in Kandahar province.

According to investigators, three murders were committed during the period from January to May 2010. Soldiers charged in killing of civilians for fun, dismembered corpses and photographed, and kept the bones as souvenirs.

Seven other Stryker soldiers were charged with lesser crimes during the investigation, which grew out of a probe into hashish abuse by American servicemen. Four of them have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.